EDA Office of Foreign Trade • Riverside County, California • USA
August 2012
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“
The average person buying a
boat is usually a business person,
and some businesses are doing
quite well,” Leach said.
The company also is attractive to buyers
because it does almost all of its own
manufacturing in-house. Eliminator
only brings in raw materials and engine
drive packages, Leach said – everything
else in made at the Mira Loma facility.
“
We allow people to come in any
time, unannounced if they like, and
see their boat being built,” Leach said.
“
They are welcome to watch the entire
process, if they have the time.”
Eliminator has enjoyed great
success in the African country of
Nigeria, where sales have been
good in the port city of Lagos.
“
They really seem to enjoy performance
boats there,” Leach said.
Leach said he initially was reluctant
to do business in Nigeria because of
the country’s reputation for fraud and
other financial crimes. For his first deal
in that country, he set up a completely
separate bank account, deposited the
buyer’s check and waited 30 days before
even beginning to build the boat.
The check cleared with no problems
and the deal was completed
without a hitch. Leach said he
since has enjoyed a good working
relationship with Nigerian buyers.
“
They are real honorable people,” Leach
said. “I even had one buyer who offered
to pay for the whole boat up front.”
Leach said he discouraged that, but the
buyer instead sent $100,000 a week
for three weeks, then sent $60,000 in
the fourth week, even though his boat
was still not scheduled for construction
because other orders had precedence.
“
There are honorable people in
whatever country you work in,” Leach
said. “Just do your due diligence and
make sure that everything is legit.”
